This invention relates to waste disposal and, more particularly, to apparatus and method for safely disposing of toxic waste material such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's).
Recent public and governmental concern over environmental pollution has focused intense pressure on industry to develop safe disposal techniques for toxic wastes which endanger the air we breathe, the soil we grow things in, the plants and animal life with which we are surrounded, as well as ourselves. The continued growth of our economy means that, for the time being at least, large amounts of toxic waste will continue to be produced and need to be disposed of. Of the current disposal methods, landfills, for example, are rapidly being filled and fewer new landfills are opening up. In addition, not all waste can be disposed of in them. With respect to certain of the more toxic wastes such as PCB's and dioxin, the safest disposal method is burning or incineration. Yet, the large combustion furnaces currently available for use are very expensive, not only because of their size, but also because of the environmental safe-guards which must be built into them. Consequently, they are few in number and there is vociferous opposition to building new ones in various areas as well as transporting contaminated materials from remote sites to them. And yet, failure to provide available disposal facilities may mean more sites like Love Canal in New York State or Times Beach, in Missouri will develop.
The present apparatus solves those and other problems in a manner not revealed by the known prior art.